Improvement in shoes



s. c. CROWE. Improyment in Shoes. NG.129,398 Y l Pat-ented1ulyl6,1872v.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL C. CROWE, OF CAMBRIDGEPORT, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,398, dated July 16, 1872.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL C. OROWE, of Cambridgeport, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invent-ed certain Improvements in Shoes; of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawin g makin g part of this specifica-tion, in which- Figure lis a perspective View of a shoe made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the upper, showing its form when cut out. Fig. 3 is a plan of the cap or toepiece, which is sometimes used in connection with the upper Fig. 4 is a plan of an upper to be laced in front, with a cap or toepiece stitched thereto.

The upper of a shoe, as ordinarily made, consists of a vamp and two quarters, which construction necessitates three seams, two in front and one at the heel of the shoe.

' These seams are objectionable, as they hurt the foot and are also liable to rip, while considerable time is required to t and sew the pieces together; and, furthermore, the upper, when made of pieces seamed together, especially if composed of cloth, is extremely liable to stretch out of shape.

My invention has for its object to overcome these objections, and consists of a shoe having its upper formed of a single piece, so cut that it requires to be united only at the toe, which may be covered or not by a cap, as de; sired, whereby I am enabled to reduce the cost of manufacture and at the same time produce a durable, easy, and perfect-fitting shoe.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

1n the said drawing, A represents the upper, which may be of leather, cloth, canvas, or other suitable material, and is cut out in a single piece, of the form seen in Fig. 2. To give this upper7 the desired form previous to applying the sole, it is iirst doubled over on the line a b; the projecting portions c al, at the toe, previously skived, are thenlapped beyond each other, one over and the other under, and secured by two rows of stitching, efe g, as seen in Fig. l. The button-holes are made in the flap or portion l, which is doubled over on the line k l, but when the opening in front is to be laced the flap fl is dispensed with, the eyelets being inserted along the opposite edges of the opening in the usual manner. It' preferred the portions c l may be dispensed with, as seen in Fig. 4, the edges of the upper, on the lines m m being skived or lapped, in which case the toe is covered by a cap-piece, B, Fig. 3, which is stitched in place before the sole is applied. Where the shoe is to belaced in front the binding n, for the edge of the opening, may be cut in the same piece with the cap, as seen in Fig. 4.

A shoe made as above described is not liable to rip or hurt the foot, and the upper can be quickly cut out, as it is in a single piece, while the shoe can be manufactured in less time and at a less cost than heretofore, as the labor required to handle, fit, and sew together the several pieces of an ordinary upper is avoided. My improved shoe is also very easy to the foot, and will not stretch out of shape to so great an extent as a shoe havin git-s upper composed of several pieces.

Claim.

s. c. oEowE.

In presence of- N. W. STEARNS, W. J. CAMBRIDGE. 

